Buffalo, NY (WBEN) With Election Day less than two weeks away, elections commissioners in Erie County anticipate a good turnout for an off year election. They say several races could bring out voters to the polls.
Erie County Democratic Elections Commissioner Jeremy Zellner says it won't be as busy as last year. "This is a year that comes right after the presidential so there's a big drop off from the presidential year," says Zellner. "As far as numbers go, we're seeing about the same activity that we usually do with the absentee ballots and the early vote by mail ballots that we've had requested from us."
Zellner anticipates several races to pique interest. "I think you're looking at a countywide comptroller's race that seems to be heating up a little bit, the city of Buffalo race, obviously, the mayor, it's going to be an uphill battle for the Republicans in the city. But, I don't think either candidate is taking anything for granted here, and then you've got big races in Amherst, Tonawanda, Hamburg, Cheektowaga, our larger suburbs have hotly contested town races," notes Zellner. He says four years ago, turnout was 38 percent, and expects the same in less than two weeks.
Erie County Republican Elections Commissioner Ralph Mohr says it's vital to vote. "They determine who's going to be on the planning board, who's going to pave your streets and who's going to pick up your garbage. So these are very critical offices," says Mohr.
Mohr says early voting starts on Saturday. "We have the 38 locations that we normally have in the Erie County Hall are going to be open and continuous for the nine days of early voting, you can in Erie County, go to any location. It doesn't have to be one in which you reside. So if you work in another jurisdiction, another town, and you're driving back from work on your way home, you can stop at any one of the polling sites and cast your ballot, we expect that that will be utilized to a great extent by individuals," explains Mohr. "We've seen the increase in early voting each and every year as people find it more convenient to cast their ballots in that manner," he adds.
Next year, New York State is moving local races to even years. Mohr says he expects some changes for candidates and voters. "Many of the local candidates will have to rely on mail or some other form of contact to the people, as your national candidates and your more prominent statewide candidates are going to be sucking up most of the airtime during that period," says Mohr. He adds the ballots are going to be longer in many respects. "That's going to be a two sided ballot, and the terms of offices, at least for the initial few years, is going to be confusing to individuals. But we're going to try to do the best that we can at the board of elections to inform the public and also to make it as easy and smooth transition as possible."